Cape Town: Spring and Summer Months = Shark Time!

Cape Town: Shark Spotters has launched a new app! (Oct 2016) >>

The annual shark season in and around Cape Town has started and the City of Cape Town has therefore issued list of advises all beach and ocean users should be aware of. General shark safety tips include:

• using beaches where shark spotters are on duty
• taking the time to speak to the Shark Spotters on the day you visit the beach
• using the Shark Spotters signs to familiarise yourself with the four-flag warning system and warning siren
• not swimming, surfing or surf-skiing when birds, dolphins or seals are feeding nearby
• not swimming, surfing or surf-skiing where trek-netting, fishing or spear fishing is taking place
• not swimming in deep water beyond the breakers
• not swimming if you are bleeding
• not swimming near river mouths
• not swimming, surfing or surf-skiing at night
• not swimming, surfing or surf-skiing if there has been a whale stranding nearby
• obeying beach officials, lifeguards and Shark Spotters if told to leave the water
• being aware that the rate of encounters with white sharks rises significantly when the water temperature is warmer (18ºC or higher), and during new moon, due to increased opportunities for feeding
• considering using another beach if a shark has recently been sighted in a particular area where no Shark Spotters are present
• asking the local law enforcement official, lifeguards or locals about the area if you are a first-time user
• paddling in groups, and staying close together (in a diamond formation) for those who are kayaking or surf-skiing far out to the sea
• considering the use of a personal shark shield when you go surfing or kayaking
• paying attention to any shark signage on beaches

Shark Spotters, the primary shark safety programme used in Cape Town, are present at the following beaches during summer (October 2016 - April 2017):

• Muizenberg
  Monday - Sunday, 08:00 - 18:00
• St James/Kalk Bay
  Monday - Sunday, 08:00 - 18:00
• Fish Hoek
  Monday - Sunday, 07:00 - 18:45
• Caves, Kogel Bay
  Monday - Sunday, 08:00 - 18:00
• Noordhoek (The Hoek)
  Monday - Sunday, 08:00 - 18:00
• Clovelly   
  Weekends, public holidays and school holidays, 10:00 - 17:00
• Glencairn
  Weekends, public holidays and school holidays, 08:00 - 18:00
• Monwabisi
  Weekends, public holidays and school holidays, 08:00 - 18:00

The Shark Spotters Information Centre, situated at Muizenberg Surfer’s Corner in Muizenberg, is open to members of the public from 08:00 to 18:00 seven days a week. The centre provides up-to-date information on sharks and marine ecology, basic first-aid, general public assistance and emergencies, storage of valuables and lost property.

The Fish Hoek shark exclusion net was deployed on 01 October 2016. It forms a complete barrier from the sea floor to the sea surface and prevents animals from entering the "exclusion zone" in the southern corner of Fish Hoek Bay. The net is deployed and retrieved daily to minimise the risk of entangling marine animals and has been specifically designed to have minimal environmental impact.

The exclusion net will be in operation during the following periods over the summer season:

• October 2016
  Weekends, public holidays and school holidays (09:00 and 17:00)
• November 2016 to March 2017
  Daily (weather permitting; 09:00 and 17:00)
• April 2017
  Weekends, public holidays and school holidays (09:00 and 17:00)

Cage Diving with Great White Sharks from Cape Town >>